Washington Insights & Highlights October 31st

U.S. Department of Education Rescinds 2023 Guidance on Third-Party Servicers

On October 21, the U.S. Department of Education announced in court documents its plans to rescind a 2023 guidance on third-party servicers by November 18, 2024. While the 2023 guidance never went into effect, it would have brought greater oversight to online program managers (OPMs), along with recruiting and retention companies. In 2023, the higher education community along with CGS sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona concerning the proposed changes to the guidance.

In the announcement, the Department will now use regulations from 2011 which govern how contractors like third-party servicers can earn a share of the tuition revenue. The Department will also rely on guidance from several updates it has released since 2011.

• In 2012, the Department released guidance on how institutions should use contractors to deliver Title IV credit balances to their students directly or through a contractor-supplied financial institution such as a bank or a credit union.
• In 2015, the Department released guidance on how institutions should work with third-party servicers to administer any aspect of the institution’s participation in the student assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
• In 2016, the Department released a question and answer document which provided detailed guidance on third-party servicers involved in Title IV federal student aid programs. It defines third-party servicers, outlines their roles, and specifies contract requirements, including adherence to regulations, data protection, and reporting obligations.
• In 2023, the Department announced that it was removing the prohibition on contracts between institutions and foreign-owned or operated third-party servicers.

The Department may still pursue regulation of online program managers through its review of 2011 guidance that allows contractors to earn a share of tuition revenue. The Department is reviewing public comments and may issue updates by the end of the year.

Draft Completers List Released for Gainful Employment and Financial Value Transparency Requirements

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education released its revised draft Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) Completers List for verification by institutions that have had students who completed Title IV-funded programs. Schools must review and update this list by January 15, 2025, to confirm student eligibility and exclude ineligible students.

The Department of Education will use these verified lists to calculate debt-to-earnings rates and earnings premiums. If a program has more than 30 or more completers within specific award years, then the institution must report data for the debt-to-earnings ratio. Last month, the Department announced it would further delay the institutional reporting deadline for all FVT and GE data from October 1, 2024, until January 15, 2025.

CGS members can learn more about the timeline of FVT/GE implementation and access helpful resources here.

NIH Releases Science Integrity Policy

Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released its Scientific Integrity Policy, which will go into effect on December 30, 2024. According to a recent blog post authored by Dr. Michael Lauer, Deputy Director for Extramural Research at NIH, this policy strengthens the existing research integrity policy at the agency by: (1) defining the term research integrity; (2) establishing a new NIH Scientific Integrity Council to coordinate scientific integrity across the agency; and (3) adding new protections against inappropriate political interference. The blog post underscores that “all NIH researcher and staff are expected to foster an organizational culture of scientific integrity, protect the integrity of the research process, and communicate science with integrity.”

NSF Extends Deadline for Information Request on Research Ethics under CHIPS and Science Act

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has extended the deadline for public feedback on research ethics under Section 10343 of the CHIPS and Science Act to December 13, 2024. The NSF request seeks input “on ways to incorporate ethical, social, safety, and security considerations into the agency’s merit review process and to develop strategies for mitigating the potential harms of scientific research and amplifying societal benefits from such research.” The request for information invites input on seven specific questions related to risks associated with emerging research, strategies for promoting ethical practices, and methods for incorporating these aspects into NSF processes. Responses will guide future NSF initiatives, and the research community is encouraged to submit comments.

To learn more about the request for information and the specific questions, please visit the October 30, 2024, Federal Register Notice.

What’s Happening in the Federal Agencies

Application Process Now Open for Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program (DDRA)

On October 30, the U.S. Department of Education issued a notice inviting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program. The Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program provides opportunities for doctoral students to engage in dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States.

Eligible applicants for the DDRA Fellowship include U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who are graduate students in good standing, admitted to candidacy in a doctoral program in modern foreign languages and area studies, plan to pursue a teaching career in the U.S., and possess sufficient foreign language skills for their dissertation research. Applications are due January 15, 2025. The Department will also be holding a pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants.

NSF Requests Comments on NSF Research Infrastructure Guide (RIG)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting public comments on the National Science Foundation Research Infrastructure Guide (RIG).  The RIG is intended to articulate NSF’s oversight policies, processes, and procedures at each life cycle stage for Major Facilities and Mid-scale Research Infrastructure, as well as provide guidance to organizations for proposal development and effective management of funded activities. The RIG does not replace the formal procedures outlined in the Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), which are required for all NSF awards. Instead, it supplements the PAPPG by providing specific guidance on NSF policies and procedures for the planning, management, and oversight of Major Facilities and Mid-scale RI. The deadline for written comments is January 17, 2025.

U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowships (CSGF)

On October 24, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), opened applications for the Computational Science Graduate Fellowships (CSGF) Program. The program supports U.S. students pursuing doctoral degrees in fields that utilize high-performance computing to tackle complex scientific and engineering challenges. Its aim is to prepare students in a range of fields, while sharing a common element of applying high-performance computing (HPC) to complex research problems. Applicants may also be studying applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, computer engineering, or computational science in one of those departments or their academic equivalent, with research interests that help scientists use emerging HPC systems more effectively.

CSGF candidates must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who plan full-time, uninterrupted study toward a Ph.D. degree at an accredited U.S. university. Fellows receive a $45,000 annual stipend, as well as receive full tuition coverage, an academic allowance, and a three-month practicum at a DOE laboratory. Applications are due on Thursday, January 16, 2025.